


Like A Shadow Before the Midday Sun

by TheSofterGentlerMe



Series: The Long Shadow of Our Pasts [4]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Arguments, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:22:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28570698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSofterGentlerMe/pseuds/TheSofterGentlerMe
Summary: Adora is displeased at just how Shadow Weaver has come for her family and she is ready to take care of the problem. Now. As loudly as possible. Her friends though, they're worried it might be too quick.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Glimbow - Relationship, catradora - Relationship
Series: The Long Shadow of Our Pasts [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088336
Comments: 13
Kudos: 46





	Like A Shadow Before the Midday Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Shall we?

It had seemed so simple. Nothing seemed out of place. Catra had walked into the house first as she said, "Doesn’t seem to be this thing’s way of operating. Where do we start?"

Adora would remember that moment. She’d remember a deep black shadow leaping out from under the sofa and wrapping around Catra’s head. She’d remember Catra falling backwards and slamming into the sofa as she collapsed. The moment that seared into her mind though was Catra as she flailed on the rug and the thing seemed to just sink into her until all that was there was Catra, her eyes wide and pitch black, screaming and screaming and screaming.

Adora didn’t even remember transforming and she had her sword raised high ready to strike down as Glimmer screamed at her, “NO! Wait! You could hurt her! Let me try and get it out first!”

Adora paused as Glimmer stalked forward, throwing magic, as Catra continued to scream and writhe on the ground. For a split second, a tendril of the thing seemed to rise up out of Catra’s mouth, almost like a periscope to look around, and Glimmer shouted, “Hold on, Catra! Fight it!” 

Adora knew she was magic, she knew she had power like no other, but she had no idea how to apply it here and she was terrified. Glimmer went down on one knee next to Catra and slapped her hand, with a sigil held in it, over Catra’s heart and made a gripping gesture. Then Glimmer started pulling back, like she was drawing a heavy weight out of a deep hole, a low growl escaping through her clenched teeth. Then Adora heard the thing above Catra’s screams. Its voice sent chills down her back as it screamed at them in some high-pitched shrieking language neither of the two knew. Then she saw the form of the creature attached to the spell, an oily ball that roiled and shot tendrils out as it tried to get away, as Glimmer pulled it out of Catra with a final yank. 

“Now, Adora!” Glimmer screamed and Adora knew just what to do then. The sword swung in a fast, bright arc, passing just under Glimmer’s unflinching hand, and the creature splashed smoking drops across the room that faded away even as they landed and the creature itself shuddered and seemed to deflate before fading away like it was draining back down a hole in reality. 

Adora was immediately at Catra’s side, holding her close as she listened to her labored breathing. The screaming had stopped but Adora wasn’t sure what to do except let healing energy wash out of her and over Catra. 

“Come on back, don’t go, not like this,” Adora whispered as tears ran down her face. After a few minutes, Catra coughed a little and started breathing a little easier. Adora went back to herself as she pulled Catra in tighter. Glimmer sat at Catra’s feet and ran her hand with a spell in it over Catra a few times and sighed a little in relief and nodded at Adora.

When Catra finally came around, Adora couldn’t see her eyes at first and said, “Are you there?” 

Catra flinched in pain and Adora felt a fresh wave of tears run down her face from seeing the woman she loved hurting. Catra questioned Glimmer as if she wasn’t sure that what she was seeing was real. Then she looked up at Adora and rested a hand on her face. 

“Do you need to ask me a question?” Adora said. 

“No one could ever replace you,” Catra said with a weak smile, looked into Adora’s eyes with her own two mismatched eyes that Adora knew like she knew her own breath, and then passed out again. 

“I think she’s just resting now,” Glimmer said. 

Adora looked around the living room and said, “Is there something else in here?” 

“I don’t think so,” Glimmer said as they both looked around nervously. “Let’s not hang around and find out though.”

Adora nodded and she felt them teleport. When they landed, they were back in their old room at Bright Moon. Bow jumped from the chair he’d been reading in as he watched over Finn slumbering in the bed. He took the whole scene in almost instantly and quickly came over towards them.

“What happened!?” he said low and urgent, trying not to wake Finn. 

Adora lifted Catra and took her over to the bed, not answering as she lay Catra next to Finn. Finn rolled over a little in their sleep and curled next to Catra, one arm coming off the stuffed whale to rest on Catra’s forearm. Catra, still out, curled around Finn before she took a long deep breath and then seemed to settle down into a deeper sleep. Adora slowly placed her hand on Catra’s head and then on Finn’s head before nodding and standing up. 

Glimmer and Bow had moved to a corner of the room where Glimmer was finishing catching Bow up on what had happened. Adora walked over to them in a long, angry stride to hear Glimmer say, “Then we jumped here. I figure the wards on the castle will keep out anything subtle and anything big we’ll know if it tries to get through.” 

“If I give you a map reference can you jump me there?” Adora said. 

Glimmer looked at Adora and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen her like this, with fury written across her face, and hesitated for a moment before saying, “Sure. I can do that.”

“Then we’re leaving. Right now. I’m going to wipe the planet clean of her as well as the whole hillside around her,” Adora said, shaking as her eyes flashed blue and white as she fought to keep control. 

“Adora, we need to be careful about this. Why don’t we...,” Bow started to say before stepping back as a white aura flared around Adora for a moment as she snapped her head around to look at him. 

“I don’t need careful, Bow! Don’t you stand in my way!” Adora growled at him. “She attacked my wife and child! I am going to  _ end her!  _ It will be  _ justice! _ ” 

Glimmer stepped between them and hissed, “Stop it! I was there, Adora! I saw what happened! I know this needs to stop but have you ever seen Shadow Weaver with something like what that thing was before? It hit Catra before she could even react! I could feel it trying to burrow into her mind! We can’t go in blind, we could very well lose someone in a horrifying way if we do. Yes, we go after her, but not in a blind fury!” 

Adora could see the logic and she knew Glimmer was right. Shadow Weaver had only had shadow spies before, she had never seen her with something like what they’d fought. Her hands were gripped so tight she felt like her forearms would snap from the tension when she heard a little voice behind her say sleepily, “Mom?” 

Adora turned around to see Finn looking up from the bed and Adora felt the anger drain away from her as she went back across the room, trying to get a smile on her face. 

“Hey there, Finn,” Adora said as she leaned over and kissed their forehead. “How’re you doing?” 

Finn hugged their stuffed whale as Adora sat down on the bed, careful not to jostle Catra, as Finn said, “Ok. Why is Mother asleep? It’s late.”

Adora felt a little lump in her throat as she looked at Finn and fought to keep the smile on her face. 

“She’s had a hard morning and she’s taking a nap,” Adora said. “She told me you were very brave last night.”

Finn curled in a little on themself as they said, “Mx. Whale helped me. We tried to make sure it couldn’t find her.”

Adora hugged Finn tight as she tried not to cry and said, “You did so good, honey, and I’m so proud of you.”

After a moment, Finn wiggled out of the hug. They looked at Adora and said, “Mom, we talked about the stars in class the other day. Are they really that new?” 

Adora gave a little laugh, that she fought to keep from turning into a sob, as she said, “Yes, honey. They are. I remember when they weren’t there.” 

Finn thought for a moment and then said, “We came here to have breakfast with Aunt Glimmer and Uncle Bow but I think I fell asleep before I could eat. Could I get a snack, please?” 

Adora nodded as she said, “Whatever you want.”

Bow stepped forward and put a hand on Adora’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze as he said, “Hey, buddy, I know for a fact there’s a big cake in the walk-in fridge. You want some of that?” 

Finn’s eyes lit up in anticipation of sugar as they said, “Yes!”

Adora turned to look up at Bow, who looked down at her with a smile, as she said, “Thank you, Bow and I’m sorry.”

“No need,” Bow said. “Already forgotten.” 

Finn tucked Mx. Whale next to Catra and patted her shoulder before they scrambled out of the bed and grabbed Bow’s hand. 

“Come on, Uncle Bow!” they said. “We’ll bring back enough for everyone!”

After they both left the room, Adora turned to Glimmer and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have… I just shouldn’t have.” 

“I understand,” Glimmer said. “If anything came for Bow…,” 

She trailed off and they both sat in silence listening to Catra’s deep breathing. After a little time, Adora said in an exhausted voice, “I still think we should go out there. Today. I don’t want to give her a chance to plan or maneuver.”

Glimmer looked at her and said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Adora looked at Glimmer and said, “Can’t you protect us somehow? Do whatever it is the castle has for us?” 

Glimmer shook her head as she said, “Those have been laid down over centuries, Adora, by hundreds of people. They’re tied into the very stone. I mean, I guess I could give us some protection, nothing like that, but…” 

She trailed off as she thought and a little glimmer of hope, and vengeance, lit in Adora’s eyes as she said, “We don’t need much, Glimmer. Trust me. It’s not going to be a long fight.”

Glimmer looked up at her and said, “I’m not sure how much protection I can offer is the problem. I know a lot of magic but Shadow Weaver was a full sorcerer of Mystacor before she was banished and has years of study on me. Honestly, I can call myself a sorcerer and no one in Mystacor would argue but I just haven’t had the same training and haven’t been able to study like I should since I’m queen.” 

Adora frowned as she looked back down at Catra. She was still deeply asleep and Adora ran a hand down her arm before looking back at Glimmer. 

“What about Micah? Would he help us?” Adora said. 

“If I could get in contact with him,” Glimmer said. “He’s still on the retreat though. Won’t be back for a few weeks and there’s no way Aunt Casta would bother him for us. The retreat is a serious thing.” 

Adora shook her head in frustration.

“Then we just have to go in with what protection you can offer,” Adora said. “It doesn’t have to be much. Just enough to hold up until… well, until I handle the problem.” 

Glimmer shook her head as she said, “Adora, we’re not kids anymore. We can’t just go off half-baked hoping it’ll turn out. Can’t you wait?” 

Adora’s eyes hardened and she said, “No. If you won’t go with me, I’ll go by myself. Today. I love you, I want you by my side, and I won’t hold it against you if you decide not to go but it’s this simple. She does not get to attack my family and continue to still draw breath. So, are you going with me? Yes or no.” 

Glimmer looked defeated as she looked into Adora’s eyes. 

“Adora, please…,” Glimmer said. 

“Don’t. Yes or no. Which is it?” Adora said as she cut her off.

Glimmer let out a long sigh as she said, “Yes.”

Adora nodded and said, “Thank you. I’ll get a data pad and show you were. We leave as soon as I can talk to Finn. Get whatever ready you need.” 

Glimmer left the room and Adora went through a dresser drawer and pulled out a data pad and powered it up. She soon had a map of the area pulled up. She knew it was accurate down to centimeters because she’d been the one to just finish updating it. She sat the data pad down on a table and then jumped when she heard Catra say sleepily, “You were awful hard on Sparkles there.” 

“Catra!” Adora said as she rushed across the room. Catra held an arm up and Adora slipped under it as they embraced. “Are you ok?” 

“I feel terrible,” Catra said in a raspy voice. She looked around and said, “I’m guessing one of you leveled the house?” 

Adora let out a laughing sob as she said, “No, but we thought it best to be here instead.” 

Catra nodded and closed her eyes for a moment and Adora was sure she had gone back to sleep. Without opening her eyes she pulled Finn’s stuffed whale close to her and said, “Finn’s here?” 

“Yes,” Adora said. “Bow took them to get cake.” 

Catra nodded carefully. 

“They’ll like that,” Catra said. “Adora?” 

“Yes?” Adora said, holding her hand. 

“Get her,” Catra said before drifting back off to sleep. 

A few minutes later, Finn and Bow pushed a silver cart loaded with various pastries and cakes into the room and Adora put her finger over her lips. 

“She’s still asleep?” Finn said, exasperated. “I got her favorite pastry for her!” 

Adora hugged Finn and said, “She’ll be glad to have it when she gets up.”

Glimmer slid into the room and Adora looked up at her for a moment before looking back at Finn. 

“Mom has to go somewhere for a little while, Finn. I won’t be gone long though. In fact, I’m pretty sure I’ll be back in time for lunch,” Adora said. 

Finn said, “You have to eat your cake first.” 

Adora smiled and said, “Of course. Set the table with our plates please and we’ll be right there.” 

Adora picked up the data pad and walked over to where Bow had just finished speaking with Glimmer and was looking at Adora with fear in his eyes. Adora held the data pad out to Glimmer and said, “There. I marked the cottage. I suggest we go right into the front yard.”

“Adora,” Bow started to say.

Adora looked at him and said, “Same thing I said to Glimmer, Bow. I love you but I’m going. You’re not talking me out of this.” 

“I’m not going to try,” Bow said. “I’m just going to say that I know you’re doing this to protect your family but… Glimmer is my wife and part of my family. Please, be careful. Bring her back to me.” 

Adora hung her head, feeling a little ashamed, and nodded. 

“If she doesn’t come back, I won’t be either,” Adora said quietly. 

Bow gently lifted Adora’s chin up.

“No. You don’t say that. You both come back. That’s your mission. I don’t care about your revenge, I care about my wife and my friend,” Bow said. “I know this is what you want and I understand that but would you rather leave Finn without you just to try to get it? Would you leave Catra a widow?” 

Adora wanted to argue that it wasn’t vengeance, that what she was doing was justice as she had said before but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She knew Bow was right. She nodded quickly, wiping at her eyes for a moment, before she said, “We’ll both be back. I promise.” 

Bow stepped forward and hugged her and Adora hugged him back as Finn came running over to them and started tugging on Adora’s shirt. 

“Come sit down!” Finn said. “Come on!” 

Adora smiled at them and let herself be led to the table so they could all eat. Adora felt antsy to get what had to be done over and done with but she didn’t rush from the table. Bow had reminded her that there was a reason she was doing this and it was the most important thing to her and if she ruined it trying to protect it, it wouldn’t matter if she succeeded. She looked over her shoulder every once in a while when she’d hear Catra shift a little in her sleep and felt her certainty of what she was about to do drain a little each time. 

Finally, when it couldn’t be put off any longer, she stood from the table and hugged Finn and gave Catra a kiss on the forehead. Glimmer hugged Bow for a long drawn out moment before they gave each other a kiss. The last Adora saw of Finn as she and Glimmer stepped out, they and Bow were sitting down at the table as Bow quietly showed them something on his tracker pad. 

“Are we still doing this?” Glimmer said with a deep breath as she returned the salute of a pair of Bright Moon guards as they passed by on their rounds.

Adora paused before nodding her head quickly. 

“Put us in the front yard. I’ll take out the whole house and the ground under it, it won’t give her time to react,” Adora said. “First sign of trouble, pull us out immediately.” 

Glimmer nodded and said, “Go ahead and transform now. I’ll lay on what protection I can and then we’ll go.” 

The hallway lit up and Adora suddenly towered over Glimmer. Glimmer sighed and began to cast. Adora could feel the spells settling over her, squeezing tight for a moment across her body before loosening up just a little. When Glimmer was done, Adora could feel the spells on her like a snug shirt but couldn’t see anything to indicate they were there. Glimmer moved her arm for a moment, getting used to them on her, and then said, “Done. Ready?” 

Adora took a breath and nodded and as soon as she did she felt the rush of the teleport. A split second later, she was in the front yard of the cottage. She was already pointing her sword when she suddenly realized that the building in front of her wasn’t the cozy little cottage she’d seen only a few days before. There was no neatly tended garden, just a riot of weeds and dying garden plants. The neatly painted cottage with moss growing on a tile roof was now a decrepit ruin with a partially collapsed roof and bare boards with a little flaking paint and shattered filthy windows. The door to the cottage lay on the ground and Adora could see through the house to the trees behind as part of the back wall was missing. 

“Adora! Hurry up!” Glimmer said through gritted teeth. 

“This isn’t it!” Adora said back.

“What do you mean? Did you pick the wrong spot?” Glimmer said through gritted teeth as she waited for an attack.

As Adora turned to get her bearings, she suddenly spotted the white picket fence. Half of it was crooked and falling over, grown through with weeds and wild grass, and the gate she’d torn off and tossed lay in the tall grass near it. The other half though was missing and still had a fresh furrow gouged through the soil where Adora had destroyed it just a few days before. 

Adora felt her heart drop as she realized she was in the exact same place as before and could feel the emptiness of the place. 

“She’s gone.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Well, it looks like Shadow Weaver isn't there. Where or where can she be? 
> 
> I am having entirely too much fun with this series. In the notes of the first fic, I said I almost made that one funny and reading it again, you can kind of see that. And now here we are. I hope you're enjoying these!


End file.
